UPDATE: This post also serves as my official “vote” for the 2010 Bloggers’ Choice Award in the Philippine Blog Awards. I am voting for this blog because it has a clear and long-term goal: IT AIMS TO SPARK CHANGE within a community that’s fiercely traditional and passionately cultural (Bukidnon has hardly any bloggers but BukidnonOnline.com voluntarily initiated the first ever Bukidnon Blogging 101 workshop, initiated the creation of the Bukidnon Bloggers group and has, for 3 years, been the largest source of Bukidnon news and updates) and wants to be the top advocate for community building and activism through new media/blogging. I like this blog about Bukidnon because it has, first and foremost, its readers as its top priority. BukidnonOnline.com is a blog that has changed the landscape of Bukidnon in such a great way and for that, it deserves a vote!

This is a heartfelt appeal to all of you, my dear valued readers, subscribers and supporters of this humble blog, to please help Bukidnon Online win the Bloggers’ Choice Award in the 2010 Philippine Blog Awards! It’s about time that this blog about Bukidnon gets recognized not only by the PBA 2010 organizing committee, the Bukidnon government, the rest of the Philippines but also (and more importantly) the rest of the world!

Okay, I know this may sound like I’m asking too much but hey, after 3 years of being online, after garnering more than 800,000 visitors all over the world, after successfully organizing the first ever Bukidnon Blogging 101 workshop and the Bukidnon Bloggers group and after being an additional source (a FREE one, I must say) of info/news/updates/exclusive photos and videos about the goings-on in Bukidnon (traditional media is still the norm in Bukidnon but Bukidnon Online is fast gaining attention!) and its 2 cities and 20 municipalities, I daresay IT’S ABOUT TIME!

So why do you have to help Bukidnon Online win?

SIMPLE – BECAUSE IF BUKIDNON ONLINE WINS THE BLOGGERS’ CHOICE AWARD IN THE 2010 PHILIPPINE BLOG AWARDS, IT WILL SPARK CHANGE — AND A GINORMOUS ONE AT THAT.

First of all, Bukidnon Online is a labor of love. What started out as a “hobby blog” is now, I daresay, the largest, longest-standing, most interactive blog about Bukidnon. I started this blog with a very simple goal – to regularly share my discoveries about the province I wanted to fall in love with. You see, my siblings and I weren’t born and raised in Bukidnon. Instead, we were born and raised in Davao City. However, since our mom is from the Province of Bukidnon, and seeing that there were hardly any regular websites/blogs about the province a few years ago, I decided to start one myself. And the rest, like they say, is history.

Another reason why you should vote for Bukidnon Online is that the award will surely provide the much-needed “shot-in-the-arm” for the newly formed Bukidnon Bloggers group and will provide inspiration and encouraged for would-be and newbie new media practitioners in the province. Bukidnon is a fiercely traditional place — and there is nothing wrong with that, I must emphasize — but there really comes a time when change must happen, when people must start learning new things, when people must start embracing new methods and when people must remember that their voice counts and that they must be heard. How many times have people of Bukidnon complained about things around them? About the government? About the seemingly lack of security, lack of transparency and lack of concern in the community? Sure, they may have tried approaching the members of the traditional media but let’s face it — there are limitations/hindrances. I don’t want to name names but let’s be honest — Bukidnon media men also have their own biases, opinions, agenda. We can’t blame them for that but we can do something in order for our voice to still be heard, albeit via another channel — the Internet.

Thirdly — and this is very important — it’s sad to note that the Provincial Government of Bukidnon still heavily relies on traditional media to promote the yearly Kaamulan Festival. Why can’t they tap new media practitioners now? What is the PAIA Office doing in order to engage bloggers and online media? IS ANYBODY EVEN DOING ANYTHING? Or worse — does anyone in the provincial government know WHAT to do?

Just check out the recent outage of the Official Website of Bukidnon. Isn’t that sad and frustrating at the same time? And just when the Kaamulan Festival 2011 celebration is just around the corner! So look — if Bukidnon Online wins the Bloggers Choice Award — people will notice, people will hear about it and I’m very confident that the Provincial Government of Bukidnon will NOW PAY ATTENTION. Media and promotions during the Kaamulan Festival 2011 and during the subsequent festivals must now include bloggers!

Fourthly, the award will be a reminder to the people of Bukidnon that the PEOPLE are the BOSS and that the government is there to SERVE them. It’s never, ever the other way around. You have the right to speak, complain and praise. You have the right to choose, decide and think what’s best for you. And when you think that you’re not getting what you deserve, WRITE about it, AIR it, SHARE it – at least through Bukidnon Online. Again, you have the right to speak, complain and ring the alarm! You have the right to demand what you as a taxpayer and resident of Bukidnon deserve!

Fifthly, Bukidnon has so much to offer and it’s about time that the world knows all about the province, its abundant resources and its beautifully rich culture. Bukidnon has 7 hill tribes, has so many tourist spots, has the best weather, has great promise — there are endless reasons why tourists should come and visit!

Lastly – and this is really as honest as it can get – it is my desire that the people of Bukidnon realize, embrace and advocate the power of new media and understand how it can spark change not only in the community as a whole but to people as individuals. With everything that’s going on in the province, it’s time that people learn how to do their share and do it with the sense of responsibility, accountability and purpose.

Is this wishful thinking? I hope not.

So please, please help Bukidnon Online win!

Here are the mechanics:

The Bloggers’ Choice Award is given to the blogger who gets the most number of votes from the blogging community.

To vote, you MUST be a Filipino blogger, which means, you need to own a blog. You might be blogging on Blogger, WordPress.Com, Live Journal, Friendster, Multiply, Tumblr, or on a self-hosted blog—it doesn’t matter—the point is, you need to have a blog to vote. Your blog must be established at least three (3) months from today with a minimum of 10 posts.

On your blog, tell us why you voted for the nominee.

After publishing your blog post, leave your entry’s URL (or link to your blog post) HERE.

Again, leave a link to your blog post here – http://www.philippineblogawards.com.ph/2010/12/02/voting-for-the-2010-bloggers-choice-award-is-now-open/

To the Bukidnon Bloggers — please, I’m counting on your support!

And to everyone else — please vote for this blog. Daghang salamat!

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